Unwilling Assassin
by Cogitatione
Summary: Jess's life gets turned upside down when she meets the Joker, and his will puts everyone around her in danger. Maybe Joker/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey! First real story ever! I have the fortune to work in an IMAX theatre, and I've had the immense pleasure of seeing TDK about 7 times. It just gets better with time. But the first time I saw it, I was just….so **_**drawn**_** to the Joker—he has such sex appeal! So I decided that I'd be like a bunch of other people here and write a Joker/OC story. I sort of know where I want this to go, but I'm not 100 positive. Anyway, welcome to my twisted world—enjoy yourself! Read and review! : )**

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**Unwilling Assassin**

Introduction

It was raining, and Jess Austin had no umbrella.

Glaring out of her office window, she cursed out loud. "Shit! Now what are we supposed to do?" Her best friend Amy had set her up for a blind date in Gotham Park, and she didn't want to seem desperate by inviting Will—that was his name—to her apartment for dinner. Where could they go? She wanted to do something different…. maybe go to Bruce Wayne's new lounge downtown? It was right in the center of the city, had dancing and a great bar, and if all else failed, they could…._Oh, who the hell am I kidding?_

Jess was snapped out of her frustrated thoughts by the sound of her office door opening. Her boss, head of Arkham Asylum Dr. Jacob Brooks, stepped in, keeping the door open. He was a handsome man, in his early thirties, with very short, deep brown hair and dazzling blue eyes. He bore a striking resemblance to his predecessor, Dr. Jonathan Crane, though Jess admitted she found him much more amiable (or as Amy said, "doable"). Dr. Crane was very complex, and although he had been Jess's teacher at Gotham University as well as her boss at Arkham, he was always quite impersonal toward her. Dr. Brooks was a nice change.

Turning her back from the miserable weather outside, Jess gave Dr. Brooks her full attention. "Hey, Dr. Brooks! Busy day in the wards?"

Dr. Brooks smiled; he looked exhausted. "Hey, Jess. Yeah, we had two attempted suicides, a murder trial coming up in a week, and three patients that weren't given their meds." He clicked his pen repeatedly, obviously aggravated. "I have to look into that."

Jess sat at her desk, pen and sticky notes at the ready. "I'm sorry, sir. Is there anything I can do for you?" She looked up at him from her chair, half-admiring his attractive 6'2" frame, half-ready to follow his instructions.

Dr. Brooks smiled again, this time more warmly. "You know I don't like being so formal with you. You're my assistant, not my slave. You're allowed to call me by my first name."

Jess was taken aback by his bluntness, but smiled back at him. "Okay. Jacob it is. Do you need me to bring up anyone's file?"

"Yeah, that would be great. I need those three patients' records…" He flipped through the notebook he was carrying. "Names are Joshua Parris, Catherine Montgomery, and Thomas Ashton."

"Okay…I've…got them!" said Jess, as she quickly scribbled down the three names on a sticky note. She rose from her chair and started toward the file room on the other side of the hall. Jacob followed her out into the corridor and walked to his office.

"You know where to find me, Jess." And he closed his office door.

Jess rifled through the files slowly, so as to give herself time to think. As much as she loved imagining herself with Jacob, tonight she had to focus on her date with Will. Bruce Wayne's lounge would probably be mobbed. It wouldn't be too bad, Jess thought, if she were to cook a nice dinner and set up some candles. She did have a nice apartment, after all—when her parents died, they left her their penthouse in the heart of Gotham City. Her building was directly across from Bruce Wayne's gigantic penthouse—pretty impressive place. Perhaps it would be a good idea after all. She would call Will after work to see what he thought of the plan.

When Jess finally found the patients' records, she hurried out of the file room and into Jacob's office. "Sorry it took me so long to find them," she said, handing the manila folders to her boss. "I had to dig deep. There's all of their medical histories—two serial killers and a schizophrenic. Sounds pretty dangerous—do you need any more help?" She looked at him eagerly; lately she'd been bugging him to let her observe his visits with the patients. She was becoming a workaholic.

Jacob stopped flipping through one of the folders to look up at her. "You'll be able to help me soon enough, Jess, but you're not quite qualified to deal with patients this dangerous." He stood up and walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. It was warm. "You're one of the brightest students I know—don't think too far ahead. You'll get there."

Jess smiled weakly. "Thanks. I guess it's just that…ever since my parents died last year, I want to be constantly working or doing _anything _difficult to keep myself busy." She felt her throat constricting—she turned away from Jacob. She would not be reduced to this….not here, not now.

Jacob turned Jess around, gripping her shoulders tightly. "It's okay. You're okay. Look, why don't you go home? I can handle these patients, and I'll get Lily to help me with anything else. You need some rest. It's not healthy to push yourself the way you do." His eyes bore into hers. "I'm serious, Jess. Get some sleep."

Jess looked at Jacob, feeling just slightly relieved. A single tear fell onto her cheek, and she wiped it away hastily. She looked out the window and into the pouring rain, and wanted to cry again. "I don't have an umbrella," she pouted.

Jacob laughed sympathetically. "You can use mine. Do you want me to call a cab for you?"

"Um…yeah. That'd be great. Thanks, Dr.—"

"Jacob."

Jess smiled again, a little embarrassed that her boss was seeing her in this state. He was being incredibly considerate, much more so than Dr. Crane when her parents were killed in a hit and run last year. "You know, you really don't have to do this—" she started, but James held up a hand.

"It's no problem at all, Jess. You are, if I may say, my favorite assistant, and I care about your well-being—you know that. I can't have you sleeping at your desk." He smiled, reached behind his desk, and handed her an umbrella. "Here—use this. I'll come outside to help you hail a cab."

"Okay."

The two of them headed down the long corridors of Arkham Asylum and out into the streets of Gotham. Once outside, Jess opened up Jacob's umbrella, and offered a half to him.

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Keep yourself dry." He whistled (very loudly) for a cab, and bid Jess farewell.

Jess looked at Jacob, unsure of what to say. She had never been so open with anyone before, and she wasn't very good with initiating conversation. "Um…thank you, again. This means a lot to me." She looked up at the sky beyond the umbrella. "It's raining."

Jacob smiled at her for the millionth time and opened his arms to embrace her. Reluctantly and yet very willingly, she accepted the hug and the warm reassurance it gave her.

Jacob let go of her and fumbled in the inside pocket of his suit for something. He took her free hand, put something in it, and closed her fist around it.

"For the cab. Don't refuse it."

Jess didn't look at what was in her hand—she merely said "thank you," smiled, and got in the now waiting taxi.

Jacob hit the top of the cab, signaling for it to move.

"Where you goin'?" the driver grumbled.

"Jefferson Tower—the one across from Bruce Wayne's building, on 5th Ave."

The driver squinted at her in his rearview mirror. "Whoa. Fancy."

"Yeah, it's my parents' place." And then she was silent. Jess opened her still-clenched fist and looked at the twenty-dollar bill sitting, crumpled, in her palm. She shook her head, amazed at Jacob's compassion. She would have to repay him somehow.

When the cab arrived at Jess's building, she handed the driver the money and stepped out onto the curb. On the way, she had called Will to confirm their plans—he was going to come over for a simple date—dinner and a movie. What was she going to cook? Maybe chicken marsala, or something fancier, like filet mignon. She was an exceptional chef, as taught by her mother, and had exquisite taste. But she didn't want to scare Will away—first a gigantic penthouse, then a fancy dinner? That would scream "spoiled brat" like nothing else.

She battled with herself all the way up the elevator, until she reached the top floor—her floor.

As soon as Jess closed the door to her penthouse, she was plunged into darkness. '_That's weird,'_ she thought, because she could have sworn she left them on in her rush to get to work that morning. Maybe they automatically shut off—it was like her parents to do that. She dismissed her paranoid thoughts and walked through the foyer and living room, and into her bedroom.

She needed to prepare for her date, but one look in the mirror told Jess that she needed to take a bath. She looked at the clock—three o'clock. Will would be there in four hours. A calming bath wouldn't hurt.

She walked into her private bathroom (of course it was private—she lived alone) and turned on the faucet in the tub. Swirling steam surrounded her, relaxing her tense and tired muscles immediately. She peeled off her work clothes slowly, letting herself feel the freedom that came with being naked.

As she sank into the steaming water, Jess reflected on all that had happened to her that day. She was stuck here for her date, she broke down in front of her gorgeous boss, and she was given a much-needed hug—again by her gorgeous boss. It was the most eventful day she'd had in a while. Pretty unfortunate for a 25-year-old woman.

The aroma of her lavender-vanilla scented bath oil filled her nostrils, and Jess found herself dozing in the bathtub. She knew it was pretty dangerous—she could drown—but what were the odds? And she had so much time, and she was so _tired…_

She let her eyes close, seeing visions of dreamy blue eyes and perfect brown hair.

**A/N: So? What do you think? I was super nervous about posting this, because it seemed dreadfully boring, but I felt an intro needed to be done--I like feeling like I know the character, and I didn't want to seem like I was JUMPING into action. Not everybody's life is like Batman's : ) But yeah, I'm pretty proud of myself. **

**I don't think chapters will be as long as this, but who knows? I might be generous. Also, this isn't going to be too long. It's okay. I swear it'll be good. I SWEAR!**

**While I'm here--shout out to Hutch113 for being an AWESOME beta-reader and person in general, and ALSO!! Read the story "Nothing Could Be Better Than This." It's fantastic!! IT IS!!**

**Okay. I'll leave. THANK YOU for reading! And...review. _Constructive _criticism is always appreciated, no matter what it's about--grammar, plot, etc. Frankly, flames are dumb, and will be disregarded. YAY!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Helloooo! Hopefully this chapter's okay--I'm sort of iffy about it. Then again, I'm iffy about everything. Hahaha. Read and Review! Please! I'm trying to get feedback so I know whether or not to continue writing...and if I don't know if you like it, then I don't know if I can write more! BUT ENJOY!!**

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**Unwilling Assassin**

Chapter 2

"—ensued when three more Gotham banks were robbed this week. The suspects stole more than twenty-five million dollars in these three heists, and ten people were killed, including six of their own. The suspects wear casual suits and what appear to be clown masks—"

Jess woke with a start in the lukewarm water—what time was it? She looked at the clock and breathed a sigh of relief. Four o'clock. She'd only been asleep for a half-hour.

"—leaves a joker playing card at the scene of the crime. No other evidence was—"

Jess jumped out of the tub. Why was the television on? She was a little paranoid about the lights earlier, but she knew the televisions didn't turn on automatically. She went out into the hallway, listening to the voice closely.

"—known as 'The Joker' is still missing. This man is considered armed and dangerous, and has malicious intent toward anyone that crosses his path."

There was more than one TV on. The televisions in her bedroom and the kitchen were on. Where was her cell phone? She walked cautiously into the kitchen, toward her purse. She was more and more frightened by the second.

"Shit," she muttered as she fumbled in her purse. Nothing. "Shit, shit…" She didn't know where the landline was, and even if she did, she never used it.

Jess let her fear take over and reached for the carving knife, dirty from last night's dinner, lying on the counter. Slowly, gradually, she made her way toward the living room, half-listening to what the people on the news were saying.

"—have pointed out that the city's so-called 'hero,' the Batman, hasn't come to the rescue in these past few weeks—"

Okay. Breathe. She could hear her heart beating faster, blood coursing through her veins with a surging power. A rush of adrenaline pumped through her, and she ran into the living room, brandishing the knife like a weapon.

No one.

"Reports from the Gotham Police Department are saying that Batman is not a hero, but a mere masked vigilante, corrupting our city's law enforcement and forcing officers out of their jobs. These reports have been circulating for some time, now. What do you think about this, Diane?"

Jess looked at the TV, which now displayed a pretty brunette. Why were they saying that Batman was a vigilante? That was ridiculous. He'd done nothing but help the city in its time of need.

"Well, John, I'm not quite sure how I feel about that matter. While I can understand how the Gotham PD feels threatened by this mysterious masked man, we have to remember that this is the…person…that saved Gotham when Dr. Jonathan Crane put fear toxin in the water system and set loose hundreds of mentally insane criminals."

Jess shivered at the mention of her old boss's name, but continued listening.

"No one can deny that he was a hero then, and that was what? Two months ago? So what I think is: who are we to judge the Batman's intentions? We'll just have to find out in due time exactly what he means for this city. The people I've talked to…"

_What bullshit, _thought Jess, and she leaned over and pressed the television's power button, not wanting to hear any more.

And suddenly…suddenly a horrible _scratching _noise permeated the air in surround sound. Jess fell to her knees and covered her ears; the knife clattered to the floor a few feet away. What the _fuck _was happening? The noise was getting worse, tearing at her brain and scratching at her eyes. She had to lean against the coffee table for support. She didn't think she could take it much longer. _Kill me, kill me, just let me die—_

"STOP!"

And just as soon as she had screamed, silence invaded her ears. Her shout seemed to echo through the room. Jess felt dizzy; she put her head in her hands and groaned.

_Shit!_ Her head snapped back up and her eyes searched frantically for the knife.

_There._ On the ground, next to the television. She got to her feet, scrambling to get to it. Someone was in the house, but _who?_ And why hadn't they come out yet?

Jess looked around anxiously, knife in hand. Maybe she could scare them. "I…I have a—a knife! So don't think about…pulling any more shit!" _Really nice, job, Jess. The only thing you really accomplished was making yourself look like a douche bag._

Focus. Stay calm…

A soft buzzing met her ears through the speaker system, tickling her eardrums… and then it quickly faded into elegant classical music. _Mozart. Lacrimosa, _Jess thought. _What the fuck does this person want?_ It was one of her favorite piece, epic and haunting and tragically beautiful. She'd always loved classical music, and ever since her parents' deaths, she used the music as a stress reliever. It's not like they could use it against her…

For just one moment, Jess closed her eyes and immersed herself in the splendor of the violins and choir. It was so…so _beautiful; _it touched everything in her. She was lost, and the music had found her…she saw her parents…

_No. _Damn it. Maybe the music _could _be used against her._ Focusfocusfocus. _

She gripped the dirty kitchen knife tighter, making her knuckles turn white, and turned toward the foyer. She would get out of the apartment, call the police, and stay at Amy's place for the night. _Good idea. Okay. _

She took a few cautious steps toward the foyer, making her way to the front door. So far, so good.

She swore she wasn't breathing as her hand gripped the doorknob a few steps later. _It's okay. I'm gonna get out of here. Just open the fucking door._

Her whole body was shaking. Her heart stopped beating. Was she going to die? What if they chased her?

The music was still playing, blurring the edges of her frenzied thoughts with its melody. Why was she still standing there?

Careful not to make any sound, Jess opened the door and backed out very slowly, holding the knife in front of her. She'd kill anyone (or at least _try)_ that followed her. The knot of fear in her stomach started to untie itself, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She turned around to the elevator.

Before she could register anything, she felt a pair of gloved hands twist her arms behind her back and slam her against the wall next to the doorway. Pain shattered through every bone in her body, but she couldn't even scream for shock.

A slightly high-pitched, terrifying voice hissed in her ear. A dangerous voice.

"Am I late for our date?"

And he let out a long, terrible laugh.

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**OHO! And so it begins. Tell me what you thought. Did you like it? Too fast? Too...anything? Constructive criticism is, as always, gladly accepted. Ask and you shall recieve, my little dumplings. Read, Review, and Fave. :)**


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